Origin:

Japan,

Title: Teahouse,

Age/Date: ca.1957,

Printer: Yoshitoshi Mori,

Dimensions: (print) approx. 31" wide x 31" tall; (frame) 35-1/4" wide, 35-1/4" tall;

About the artist: Born in Tokyo in 1898, Yoshitoshi Mori graduated from the Kawabata School of Fine Arts and studied stencil fabric dyeing with Yanagi Soetsu and Serizawa Keisuke. Yoshitoshi Mori was the master of kappazuri - stencil prints the Japanese way. In kappazuri instead of different woodblocks, stencils are produced - one key stencil for the outlines and one stencil for each color used in the print design. For the stencils a special thick paper or several layers of it are used. A dye-resist paste is applied to the areas that shall remain uncolored. Stencil printing is a complicated and time consuming process. The number of copies that can be drawn from one set of stencils is limited. This makes stencil prints expensive.

Yoshitoshi Mori was nearly sixty years old when he made his first print. His style is modern and typically sosaku hanga. He had numerous one-man shows in Japan beginning in the 1950's. In 1966, Mori mounted a traveling show in America sponsored by The Japan Society, New York. Between 1957 and 1977 he participated in 30 International Exhibitions and group shows. In 1984 he received an Honorary Doctorate form Maryland University. In 1991 he was honored by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for his long years of meritorious service. Final one-man show held at Wako Gallery Tokyo, in 1992. Mori died immediately after the show on May 29th, 1992. Yoshitoshi Mori works are represented in the Tokyo Museum of Modern Art, New York Museum of Modern Art; Art Institute of Chicago; Boston Museum of Fine Arts; and the official residence of the Prime Minister of Japan.

About this print: This is a doubly rare Yoshitoshi Mori print. Rare because it is one of his earliest works, ca.1957, #16/50. Rare because this print is in one of his largest formats, 31" by 31" (or larger). As mentioned that he didn't make his first print until his late 50's, so this is among his "earliest" works. This print is an early print, #16, of this series of only 50 prints. And as mentioned, unlike woodblock prints, only a limited number prints can be drawn from a set of stencils. And the size is over 31" (or larger) which is among his largest print sizes. And the print can be larger but since the print is framed and was never removed from it framing, I can't see how much is hidden under the matting. Most of his works are less than 1/2 the size. Mori's depiction is a very interesting and dynamic of view of the inner workings of a Japanese teahouse. The entire print is done in a rich indigo blue. Yoshitoshi Mori's dated signature in penciled in the lower right margin. The print is in excellent condition with bold colors and excellent registration. The crinkled paper has an light ivory color. There appears to be no foxing or toning. The print is framed in a black aluminum frame with what appears to be 1/8" plexiglass. Do not miss this rare opportunity!

Note: The Buddhist symbol on the latern is not a Nazi swastika. The symbol is an ancient Buddhist symbol and the serifs revolve CLOCKWISE (Buddhist). The Nazi's copied the image and reversed the serifs to revolve COUNTER CLOCKWISE (Nazi).

Condition: Extremely Fine Condition without injury, foxing or toning.